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DECEMBER, 1905.]
STORIES OF THE TAMIL VAISHNAVA SAINTS.
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Thus Tirumalli lived according to the Vșiddha Yoga, teaching the people from his two books, and eating only a little fruit. At last he went to heaven at the age of 4,700 years!
III.
Madhura Kavi Alwar. He was born in the nature of Garuda at Tirukholar, South Arcot District. His father was a Brâhman of the Sama Péda, and he was made to undergo all the ritual necessary to a Brahman boy, and well educated in all branches of knowledge then in vogue, and performed many pilgrimages,
Once there occurred a great famine in his country, so he set out for another pilgrimage. When he took leave of the townspeople, they asked him when he would return, and he answered, "When the sun rises in the Bonth." Thinking he was mocking them, they laughed and let him go.
He went as far as Bhadrinath in the Himalayas, and returned to Kasi, on his way there stopping at Ayodhyk. One day in the fourth watch of the night be rose up, and looking towards the South he saw a wonderful light. He supposed it to be a burning village, but after he had seen it for three nights, at the same time each night, he began to wonder what it was, and proceeded towards the South. As he moyed the light also appeared to move in front of him, and he followed it. In this way he slept in the daytime and walked at night, and so he Went as far as the town of Kurugor, now called Alwar Tirunagiri, in the Tinevelli District.
On leaving this town he found that the light stopped there behind him; so, concluding that he had reached his destination, ho remained there all the night gazing at the light, rose early in the morning and bathed in the river Tambaparņi, and performed all the morning ritual, and then went to the town to make enquiries. There he was told that some years before a son had been born to the rdja of the place. This child, from the time of its birth, did not open its eyes, or take its natural food, but nevertheless grew in size, and was well and strong. The parents, acoording to custom, took the child on the twelfth day to the temple where the idol is called the "self-shining," and after the payal ceremony they made the child prostrate himself before the idol. After this, to the amazement of the on-lookers, the child got up and began to circamambplate the temple, after which he went towards a tamarind tree, into the hollow of which he entered, and sat down in padmatarum (yogi postore). Here he sat without moving, and though his parents tried to rouge him, they failed to do so. Thus he had remained, 80 Madhurá Kavi was told — for sixteen years. Hearing this, and learning that the boy's name was Satakope, Madhura Kavi went to the tamarind tree and saw the boy sitting there, and understood that he was a yogi.
Wishing to find out if the boy was in samadhi, Madhurâ Kavi made a noise by throwing a stone in front of the boy, who then opened his eyes. Upon this, Madhur& Kavi drew near, and whispered to Sataköpa the following questions: First, -"If a superior being is born of an inferior being, what would his sustenance be, and where should he live P" Becond, -"If an inferior being is born of an inferior being, what would his sustenance be, and where should he live P” Satakopa answered the first question thus, "A superior being will be sustained by the grace of God, and live in it," and the second question thus, "An inferior being is sustained by worldly things, and will live in them." Then Madhara Kavi saw that Satakopa was a perfect philosopher, both in precept snd example, and prostrated himself before him, and prayed that he might be taken as Satakopa's disciple. The parents who were standing by, had overheard their son's word, and understood that Madhur& Kavi was worthy of reverence. Then he turned to them, and told them that at some time their son would come out from the tree and live with them for a period.
The next night Madhuri Kavi dreamt that Satakbps appeared to him in the form of the future BamendjachArys, and related to him all that he had experienced during his sixteen
